SAN BERNARDINO – City Attorney James F. Penman wants to revoke the conditional- use permit for Hudson Theater, a move that could prevent the Hudson and any future businesses on the property from having large, all-ages music events.

The city is compiling legal paperwork and will make its recommendation to the Planning Department to have the permit revoked, Penman said.

He didn’t anticipate any action on the matter before the end of the year.

But he said it was a step that needed to be taken because the city doesn’t see the problem of violence and excessive police calls ending even if the Hudson is closed.

“The fact that we’ve had two businesses there – Gotham and the Hudson – both resulting in the same types of problems causes us to believe that any future businesses that might come into that location might be of a similar nature,” Penman said.

“They’ve sued us, there’s been lawsuits, we have attorneys, and they’ve been talking,” said Drew Willock, the general counsel for CCI. “To a paper, I have no comment.”

The move comes amid legal wrangling between the city and the business owners of the Hudson. The city sought an injunction against the Hudson last December, alleging excessive police calls, drug sales on the property and other criminal activity.

A trial on that lawsuit is set for June.

Penman’s comments also come days after the Winterfresh Music Festival was abruptly moved from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, where thousands of ticket holders crowded into the Hudson and the ASU Fox Theater on Saturday and Sunday.

Despite receiving no notice about the event from the festival’s promoters, police were able to scramble enough manpower to handle the large turnout. Two arrests were tied to the event.

Penman said the move to revoke the permit was not a result of the weekend’s festival and that the city had been discussing the idea a week earlier.